Senescal Mazur: Origins
by Miz.Trei.SonEau
Summary: Hi! I m Rose. A fairly normal dhampir girl. And I'm the Key to the future to the moroi Kingdom. (translated from spanish)
1. Janine, daughter of the Horned One

The characters belong to _**Richelle Mead**_ , I just added some and the plot. I have already written this in spanish, -my native language-, and this is the translation, my wonderful Beta, - _Angel_ \- made the english reviews.

Warning: adult themes and mention of literary works.

* * *

 **Janine, The Daughter of the Horned One**

Roseanne Hathaway was born during the Second War. Her mother, Merida FitzRoy, had followed the example of the English Crown Princess and joining The Female Auxiliary Corps, -at 16-, recently graduated from the Academy Robert The Brave, which formed Auxiliary Guardians (she lied about her age at enrollment office, but they didn't notice it). She was there when she met the moroi John Hathaway, a young lieutenant of the RAF. Carried away by the adrenaline of the moment, they made a wedding war -to get a few days off-. Merida had Roseanne when John was at the front and died on the battlefield, leaving her widowed at 18.

Roseanne never went to an Academy. Her mother put her in a normal, human school, to get her away from the stigma of the dhampir women (Merida was never a Guardian, but a war veteran and had a daughter with a moroi). But Roseanne was restless, very unfocused, and preferred to be among the green meadows of Scotland than in a classroom, learning how to do maths. She still approved her classes year after year. But with her hitting puberty, changed her natural rhythm and was more similar to a forest pixie than a normal girl. Her dhampir blood was evident in her body shape and sharp senses and her concentration was focused on physical activities -dance, gymnastics- more than on academics. She was only 17 years old when, driven by her curiosity, provoked with her actions that her life changed from Earth to the Moon. She became a mother to a beautiful girl named Janine, with brown eyes like her own and the red hair of the moroi with which she fathered her.

Roseanne was only 16 years old when she escaped from her home to go to The Beltane Fire Festival in Calton Hill and have fun and was caught in the magic of the Festival and the ancient Celtic rituals. Although growing among humans, she obviously knew about the morois and was dazzled by a young moroi of about 17 years, of dark red hair and deep green eyes, dressed as the Horned One. Carried away by the heat of the moment, they lost their virginity awkwardly together, entangled and silent in a bed of straw, hidden behind a bright tent, where a Wicca interpreted the Tarot to those who left her gifts of differents things (this was the energy of the Primordial Festivals, where the morois, dhampirs, humans and Wicca -humans who learned and practiced magic, for real-, all together and mixed for a single night each season) gathered together.

* * *

"What happens in Beltane, is honored", her mother told her when she saw her arrive; disheveled, flushed, big brown eyes open as been a deer caught in headlights and smelling of wet and green grass. And she was not wrong. Roseanne was pregnant, but her always practical mother did not care and supported her completely. The first thing was to go back to school and finish her education, carrying her baby inside her.

He was not there. At school. And she never saw him again. She never knew who he was. But a LeFay -a seer of the Merida's Clan- told her that hers was not just a libertine experience. It was the Horned One, an archetypal figure sent to procreate with the Maiden Huntress and her baby was blessed by the Ancient Gods.

* * *

Janine Merida Hathaway -Gift of Gods, very fitting- was born in her grandma's house. She had a lock of a fiery red hair, and her eyes would be like her mom's when she defined them.

"Beltane", Roseanne would say, seeing that hair so different from her own, influencing Janine's fierce nature and fire-red hair.

Roseanne -first- and then her little daughter Janine; grew up listening to Merida's experience in war time. Janine dreamed of replicating them, dreamed of being like her, a tall and beautiful Scottish warrior, and, hopefully, with her grandma's blue eyes. But, sadly for her, hers were of a chestnut colour with a touch of green that was only seen in the direct sunlight, and that had always disappointed her. That and her height, of course. She seemed more like a pixie of the forest (that's how short she was, like her mom) than a tall and beautiful warrior, according to herself.

Anyway, she begged to go to an Academy (considering that her grandma had also attended one, until she was 16 years old), because the training would help her enter the army and be a soldier. Merida called in some favors, made some calls and got a place at the small Academy Robert The Brave, founded after the First War by dhampirs and Scottish morois, war heroes. From there she had graduated, weeks before going to war.

* * *

The Academy received more dhampirs than morois, had a minimum standard for them -good in academics, but bad in moroi casses- but optimal for the dhampirs -both in academics and sport activities-. In addition, it had a daytime schedule and was an externship for those who required it. There, Janine was formed until she was 16 years old, graduating as Auxiliary Guardian. The Auxiliary Guardians were those who did administrative work -most of the time, anyway- and could continue to become Guardians as such, in the Official Academies.

Her excellent results led her to be accepted at the Academy of St. George, -in England-, to complete her training as a Guardian. She entered at 17, with a backpack full of dreams and little or nothing to her name.

It was there that she met the arrogant Ibrahim Mazur -18 years old-, senior, moroi, rich and very exotic in appearance, as his skin was the color of almonds (the morois were always pale, tall and very thin), eyes and dark hair (almost like the color of ripe chestnuts), very tall and with a firm and chiseled body. His voice was deep and his accent as exotic as everything in him, as he was Turkish.

Ibrahim was very feared, as a son of the dark Mustafa Mazur. It was said that the Mazur trafficked everything they could get their hands on, some whispered that it included people.

* * *

Senescal: I took the idea of the Lord of the Rings, the father of Boromir was the Ruling Steward of Gondor, The Regent in the absence of The King. Senescal is what was called in spanish and I kept this word.

The Crown Princess to which I mentioned is Queen Elizabeth II, when she was only a Princess, -in World War II-, she joined the Female Auxiliary Corps and learned mechanics.

FitzRoy An ancient custom to name the illegitimate children of a king in England. Merida Fitzroy descends from King Robert The Bruce in this story.

Robert The Brave is King Robert The Bruce of Scotland, ancestor of the European royal lines -through Mary of Scotland who is ancestor or Queen Victoria, called the Grandma of Europe- and defender of his kingdom against the English Crown.

The Horned One I took it from Mists of Avalon.


	2. He, the worst of all Men

**He, the worst of all Men**

Ibrahim had put his eyes on Janine. The same Ibrahim, who would inherit one day a dark empire, formally courting Miss Renee Szelsky, (she would be a Lady of the Szelsky House when she turned 18) and had no place for the affections. But Renee and Ibrahim broke up near the night of prom, and he took advantage of this to invite Janine to be his plus one -a scandal-, because as the dance was for morois, they -only- went with morois... a non written rule.

That night, Ibrahim had seduced her had been his usual charming one (and not with his bites, as she would later say to herself) and took her to his bed. Janine was a virgin. She trembled with nerves, fear and excitement. So, to convince her, he took her as his _Kadin_. It wasn't valid (no one used the Old Uses anymore), but Janine believed him, especially when he said " _With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way into darkness... I ask you to be mine_. _With this ring_ ... my nazar one" -yes, the very one in his pinky finger-. She considered that he was very kind and generous. And he was careful not to get her pregnant when using condoms. Well, her previous experience was zero so she had a rather romantic view of the first time. With a war veteran grandma -who lost her husband in battle- and a mother who became pregnant in Beltane with the Horned One, she could not be less, right?

* * *

Janine did not have a good time in the year that followed Ibrahim's departure. Every time she thought about it, in the coldness of her bed, she wondered why she has slept with him, why she believed she would be his everything. Her goal was clear, it was not to be the Guardian or lover of him or any other moroi, but to be an army girl like her grandma. Be the owner of her own destiny. 

Ibrahim returned to the Academy to see her graduate and ask for her as his Guardian (third, he had two Guardians, already), not knowing that it was not what she wanted. And Janine again believed in his words of love " _My woman of the beautiful hair, my love of the slanted brow, my love of eyes full of mischief… I'll sing your praises always... I, lover of the tormented heart_ " and she allowed him back into her bed. She was in love and could not control it.

Janine scored as the best of her class, and therefore, the one that could get the best assignment. But she did not want a moroi to protect forever. She did not want to become a Guardian. But she did not have the money to buy a ticket to her house. And since the assigned Guardians received a commission to prepare for their position, she needed that commission to travel to Scotland, so she waited.

Ibrahim watched her. She did not seem happy with her assignment of a Lady from the House of Drozdov, and was very nervous about returning to Scotland for the 72 hours the commission lasted, to resolve her affairs. Janine bought the cheapest ticket to Scotland, where she put a letter of resignation to Captain Schoenberg in the mail, explaining that she was going to run for the army. She then submitted her application to the army and went to her grandma's house to wait for the results.

* * *

Ibrahim moved quickly. Fly to court in his private jet and once there, bought immediately (as simple as that) Janine's pass, paying the commission for the Lady Drozdov to receive another Guardian. The Captain Schoenberg read the information without being surprised. The Mazurs did that all the time, buying the passes from promising Guardians (The brothers Pavel and Sergei Prokofiev, two brilliant alumni from St. Basil's Academy, were acquired from Lord Nathan and Lord Randall Ivashkov, the very nephews of Queen Tatiana Ivashkov, for Mustafa Mazur, as a 18 birthday gift for his son).

"What do you want with this Guardian, Ibrahim? As far as I know, you have no female relatives to justify it... and you have two Guardians already."

"We went to the same Academy, we knew each other", he smiled with his fangs visible.

"Which of all of you were expelled from?".

"St. George, -in England-, where I graduated... I was a senior, she arrived that year, to the lower class".

* * *

When the letter arrived, the Captain called Ibrahim and without words gave him the letter of resignation.

"So that was it, that's why she was nervous and uneasy, well, it's not her last word, I already pay her commission, I'll keep her as my Guardian."

"She resigned, Ibrahim."

"Do not forget, captain, that the commission has a character of bank draft," he smiled, "If Janine does not return, the letter of credit is not canceled."

"And what will you gain from this?".

"We'll see each other again and when that happens, I'll have something to negotiate with."

* * *

The results of the application arrived at 4 weeks. Janine opened the envelope and read the document, dropping it to the ground in shock. And she began to scream, both hands on her belly. She was 6 weeks pregnant, reason for rejection. She was 18 years old. She had a baby in her belly. And had no more. And did not want them. She never looked for that.

She thought about aborting and repostulating it, rearming her life again. But something stopped her. Like the flutter of a butterfly in her ear. And a whisper, saying _mathair_. Her decision was made and she would not look back. She would have her baby and she would get through life with them. So went to the nearest town -the one in which could make an international call- and wait on the line.

"Mazur".

"Its Janine, Ibrahim".

"Ah, Janine, how's the Army?"

"They rejected me... I am 6 weeks pregnant and it is yours".

"Logical, they reject you and it's my fault... what makes you believe that it's mine?"

"I ... uh ... I was with you".

"And who knows who else, huh?, and you know the worst? I bought your pass from Lady Drozdov, so that we could be together, how stupid of me, you can keep your commission, you'll need it. Goodbye, Janine", and he had hung up.

* * *

Ibrahim's words are of the marriage vows of The Bride's Corpse and the verses were of Sultan Suleiman to his wife, _Hurrem Sultan_.

Mathair: mother or mom in Scottish Gaelic.

Kadin is what the wives of Sultans were called in XVII. 


	3. C3 Rosie, the little button with thorns

**Chap 3. Rosie, the little button with thorns**

Janine started crying. Without work, without a future, without money, with a baby inside her and only 18 years old. Merida and Roseanne welcomed Janine without questions. The fate of a women dhampir -and their incredible fertility with moroi - reached her despite everything she fought against her.

"What am I going to do now? I have nothing, they will not receive me in Guardianship or anywhere else," Janine cried.

"Boudica, my mother," Merida began speaking, "was left in the streets with two children and one in her belly, when her moroi and father of her three children died. She had no choice but to return here. I also went to an Academy, even though my mother didn't want me to go and I chose Auxiliary Service and not Guardianship and you see, I ended up as a respectable widow with a well cared daughter... your mother went to a normal school, not an Academy, but still knew the moroi who fathered you and you were born... She ended school and went to a practical school to earn a profession. We -women of the clans- are strong, Janie, we go ahead. Your baby will be loved, as my mother loved her three children, as I love your mother and she loves you, and the three of us will love that baby that is on the way, now, with respect to your future, I still have favors to called in Robert The Brave and I will use one for you" 

This is how Janine was offered a job as Guardian of the Elementary Campus, a very light and totally day job, with medical assistance. Her stay would be there as long as she wanted and she would, at least, until the end of the school time, which almost coincided with the end of the post-natal leave. Her baby was active, strong willed and very good at kicking. Janine barely gained weight, because she was very active. It was March, it was warm and the sun was rising on the horizon when a strong kick doubled her in two. It was weeks before the start of prenatal leave. Another kick from her baby broke fountain when she was guarding the children's classroom between 0 and two years old, at there nap time.  
#

"Janie," shouted the scared Junior Assistant, "your water just broke!" And urgently called the infirmary, who arrived with a wheelchair, to take her to the delivery room they had prepared for her. The captain called Merida, to inform her. A midwife from the community arrived with Merida and Roseanne , because a delivery was not usual in an Academy, so the doctor and the two nurses were nervous, but very excited.

Janine was afraid and it hurts. The midwife urged her to breathe as she had been taught, but the fear that something would go wrong tightened her muscles more and more. She cried and nothing happened, she didn't delivery. So her grandma and mom sat her down and then they sit squatted down her -without hearing the doctor's protest- Mérida got behind her and the pressure of gravity was doing the job that was required. After eight hours of intense work, At dawn on March 21, RoseMarie Merida Hathaway was born in the infirmary of the Academy. She was tiny, measured 40 cms and 2,800 gr. She had dark curls and eyes of the same tone and lungs that were noted... ah! and her skin, which seemed kissed by the sun. She cried with uncontrolled rage when she was ripped from her nice maternal crib. And she moved arms and legs with fury. Small, yes, but very dominant. In that... it was all Him.

"Oh... so she wasn't his daughter's?" Janine muttered, seeing that little dolly, which she was trying to catch but slipped away with so much strongness.

"It's his loss", said Merida, "look how pretty she is… she has your nose... and your curls", she smiled, happy with her little dark-haired great-grandbaby.

"But there are his eyes and his hair", sighed Janine, "and it will be his skin".

"How are you going to call her?" The doctor asked, with the birth papers ready to be filled.

"RoseMarie Merida Hathaway", she whispered.

"Who is Marie?" Roseanne hesitated, when they left them alone.

"Marie is the other grandmother", she whispered, "the one who was the owner of all I had of him", and took out the Nazar ring from a little box, which she kissed and put around Rosie's foot -with a bow-, to protect her from the evil eye. If she put it on her wrist, the restless girl would eat it and if she put it around her neck, she could suffocate.

"Middle East", Merida whispered, "Oh no, Janie! where did you find this man?, These are the people of desert, blood run thicker than water. You'll have to hide her well... nothing good will come out of it if he discovers her".

Janine decided to stay the following months (she was in maternal leave) and work a few hours in the day, it was still cold and the Academy enabled a heated nursery and the doctor and nurses would take turns taking care of Rosie.  
#

Rosie conquered the entire Academy -from the Headmistress to the smallest of the students-. Her sleepy dark eyes, with her long lashes, totally enamored them. Everyone wanted to see her, touch her, pamper her and take care of her. Growing up, her features -of her mother- next to those dark curls and dark eyes, defined a beautiful but small rose button, whose thorns were already deadly. Sometimes they said that, rather than crying or moaning, she seemed to hiss, as if she were a snake.

By the time the end of the school period came and Janine returned to her home in holidays, Rosie was already sleeping alone, without crying at night. Eating and sleeping were her only occupations and hobby.  
#


	4. C4 The request of Rhea

**Chap 4. The request of Rhea**

At the Moroi Court, a great event was being prepared. The Senescal Princess Svletlana Ivannova, announced the engagement of her grandson -also her chosen heir-, Lord Ibrahim Mazur (a great scandal, because the position would always go to a woman if it's possible, and Princess Svetlana had a daughter, Lady Johanna, the mother of Ibrahim with Mustafa Mazur) with Lady Renee Szelsky (yes, the same one to whom he was engaged in the English Academy, ended before graduating and returned after the betrayal of Janine). They married with a pomp on the eve of the End of the Summer Dance and went to Istanbul for the honeymoon, where he would introduce her to the other members of his Mazur family, in a marriage according to his own Muslim rites.

Renee became pregnant on that trip. The practical Mustafa -influenced by his own father, Yusuf- asked Ibrahim to do a DNA test on the newborn baby before acknowledging them publicly (Yusuf suspected that the dates were not correct) and it turned out to be not his. Ibrahim was devastated. Without talking to her, he called his lawyers and ordered them to draft the divorce papers for the infidelity clause. Renee could not claim nothing, how? DNA was infallible 99.9%. That 0.1% would not defend itself in the eyes of court, and was left with nothing, -with a baby without a known father-, and even had to return the wedding gifts. Her family turned their back on her, she lost her social status and her parents gave her the trust fund of her grandparents for her to go anywhere but to stay at court. In the end, she walked away from there, reunited with her lover -father of the blond, blue-eyed baby- and disappeared from the Moroi circuit, forever.  
#

Ibrahim closed his heart to the affections. First Janine -who tried to catch him with a dhampir baby (she sure knew he needed a child to be named Regent Prince instead of his grandma, any child, not just moroi)- and then the perfect wife -Renee-, who cheated on him so cleverly right under his nose. He decided not to remarry. Despite the pleas of his grandmother and mother. At least, not to overcome the betrayal of which he was a of part.

"Someday", the Princess told her daughter Johanna, "Someday he will open his heart again or at least warm himself for a woman and that is when he will give us the baby we need to keep our family where it is now".

"Is it the only thing that interests you, mother?" her daughter yelled, "Ibrahim did not deserve it, that bitch with a black heart cheated on him and everything and what if were the dhampir baby his old lover told him about, what would happen?".

"If this baby is his, then I will receive them in my open arms".

"Sure you would".  
#

Rosie spent her early years among the green fields of her clan, chasing butterflies and eating red fruits, -her favorites- and the elementary classroom at the Academy, where she began her preschool learning. Small -as her mother was-. Long dark hair floating in the wind behind her, Rosie was as happy as a girl could be under those circumstances. She didn't need or wanted anything more. Sun, eating, sleeping, playing were her favorite activities.

At the age of four, she made her official entry into the first year, where she began to learn the letters and numbers, which she did not like as much as playing and running and dancing and chasing squirrels and small animals. As with all dhampir, the animals avoided her, but to her even more, because when she got upset she did not shout, she emitted another kind of sounds.  
#

Time passed and some disturbing news reached the ears of Queen Tatiana. In the settlements far from the court, a large number of novices left the academies for no apparent reason, as did Guardians who abandoned their positions. There were similar situations in both wars, obviously, but there was not a war event on the horizon. So she planned a tour of the different settlements in America and Europe, especially the problematic ones.

The Headmaster and the Captain of the Academy of St George were faced with the dilemma of where to get more Guardians -especially women, as The Queen's request- so they agreed to call on loan to all nearby academies.

The call to Robert The Brave was... surprising, but not unexpected. The Headmaster and the Captain conferred long, trading names, until almost reaching an agreement. Only one Guardian was missing.

"Janine could be, but there's Rosie's subject, she will not accept leaving her behind," suggested The Captain.

"The Guardian Janine Hathaway? Is she with you? We believed her with a Lady Drozdov".

"She's here, yes... she has her little daughter with us in preschool".

"How? Was she a mother? I would never have expected it from her".

"It happened and she did not expect it, we gave her a job and a place for Rosie, who is now 4 years old".

"We can receive both of them, we gladly give a place to her daughter in preschool".

"You don't know what you're asking for, Rosie is a ball of energy and had an iron will packed in a small body, we better leave them here"; suggested the Headmistress.

"No. We need one more, there's no where to get it... from other places. It's just a little girl, here we have many like her".

"It's okay, just one tip, if you see her sleeping, Don't. Wake Her. up", The Captain suggested.  
#

"4 years", Janine said to herself that morning, "4 years since that day when I felt her inside me and changed my whole life". She watched her daughter sleeping next to her on the bed, clinging to a stuffed dragon toy that's she had personally won at the fair in the nearby town. Yes, she threw the ball with such fury that it almost disarmed the post. And she started crying and screaming like she was possessed when they did not give her what she wanted. The green dragon. She hissed -a habit of her- and they gave it to her promptly. Either that or face her fury, the fury of the elements or so they would say in the Academy. Because Rosie Hathaway was to be feared.

The Captain called her to her office to inform her that she was leaving -with Rosie- on loan to the other Academy, superior orders. She had 3 days to leave their affairs in order in Scotland, because she would not know when she would return. That was how Janine had to leave the security of the Scottish Academy because of the insecurity of the English. She had to update Rose's documents -and hers, too- to be able to travel without problems.  
#

St. George arranged for them to be in a room in the Guardian wing, which had more space because of its location, but Rosie hated it. She hated the night time, the overpopulation of morois of all sizes and ages. The place was ugly and there were not many gardens. Rosie entered the kindergarten class in St. George, which had twice as many morois as hers in Scotland. She did not like that at all. Did not appreciate them. They were pale, bland and whiny.

In the entourage of The Queen traveled Lord Eric Dragomir, heir of Prince Frederick Dragomir, and his wife Rhea, -Lady Dragomir-; along with her youngest daughter, Vasilissa, who had not yet entered a class in an Academy, as she had barely turned four. The Headmaster offered them to put Lissa in a preschool class so that she could be with other children. Her mother accepted. But the shy girl was scared and the Headmaster and Lady Dragomir did not know what to do.

Then they heard a discussion and the Headmistress of the Elementary School saw approaching the solution of the problem: the willful RoseMarie Hathaway. The little dhampir did not like that class either, and voiced it daily. But the man thought that the protective nature of the girl would take Vasilissa under her wing as she was a shy and sensitive moroi girl.

"Rosie! Do you want to show the classroom to Miss Lissa?, She has just arrived and she does not know anyone", suggested the elementary campus Headmistress, when she saw her arrive at the door.

"I'm not intedested in going in. I want my bed, they'de bad, I want what's mine", she planted herself on the floor.

"But Rosie! Miss Lissa does not know anyone, she is alone".

"Anothe of those ... misses (that's how they called the royal girls, Miss and her name, unlike the other Moroi girls, who were called Miss and with their last names and the dhampir girls, who were called only by the surname)?" she had looked at the girl, who burst into tears, "what?, they hit you too?, who was it?, come on, I will hit them", and without preamble dragged her into the classroom, where she pushed a child who laughed, who fell to the ground and burst into tears. "Walk and bothe us... again, weeping baby"

"When you are my Guadian..." threatened the child, crying.

"Blabla... and the ded-eyed monsteds will eat you and they will have to kill you with the silver tip and no one will cry because you will be a monsted... only if you are good someone will cry to you... Now, shut up, shut up, baby monsted!"

Rhea observed the class a little and noticed that her daughter flocking around Rose, who also knew the work of the preschool classroom and helped the sensitive Lissa when she was frustrated and burst into tears. Rhea turned to Janine, who was watching the interaction, frowning... not like her daughter's.

"Lissa will go to St. Vladimir in the fall, and Rosie?".

"She will stay with me".

"And... if I get her a place in St. Vladimir?".

"My work is at the Robert The Brave Academy in Scotland and Rose will be returned to me".

"Oh... I did not expect it... but... what if you were transferred?".

"I would be sentenced to an administrative job just as punishment of having a daughter and remain active, Milady".

"What if... I managed to get you transferred to a good position and Rose could go to St. Vladimir?".

"Is this because of your daughter, Milady?".

"Look at them! My Lissa does not get along easily with anyone and she clung to your daughter as if she were her lifesaver, could you think about it, at least?".  
#

Janine was scared. Those people were from the circle of Rose's father. The solution came with a conversation she heard from the invited Alchemist, who complained bitterly about the state of neglect of the isolated communities, who had no method of defense and that no Guardian deigned to help, even though they would be paid... and well paid for.

"Excuse me", Janine whispered to the alchemist as she watched him go, "I am a Guardian and I am willing to travel... I have a small daughter and I can take her with me...".

"What's your name, Guardian?".

"Janine Hathaway".

"And when can you travel?".

"As soon as I finish my commission here, I'm on loan from the other Academy".

That's how Janine protected her daughter from her father's nefarious world.  
#


	5. C5 The Decision of Lady Lissa

**Chap 5. The Decision of Lady Lissa**

The alchemists managed her work visa -under their auspices- and they traveled through several communities, Janine teaching defenses and also personal defense to women who never went to Academies. Some of these communities -the so-called Keepers (Protectors of the archaic traditions prior to the separation of Morois and humans)- had very archaic views of life and Janine was careful not to take Rose there, or she would risk her being trapped in the web they seemed to make to retain the women... with their male polygamy -completely mixed with moroi, dhampirs and human - system. She was clever enough to make and exit from!  
#

The Montana Office placed Janine in a good School District. When it was time for Rose to be place in a Elementary School, a friendship between Rose and Lissa was established, since Rhea kept them in touch.

Rhea's Guardian took Lissa back and forth to some mall, where Janine or Rose - or both - waited for her, so that no one -not even Rhea- knew where Janine and Rose lived. It was the only thing they asked for. Since the place was rented by the alchemists, it was logical.

So the years went by for both. Rose entered High School, while Lissa was still at the Academy in Montana, St. Vladimir. They were growing from little girls to pretty girls. Rose was brilliant in practical areas, such as sports or arts (yes, just as she was destructive, she could create with her hands) and Lissa was excellent in math and science.  
#

Rose was flirtatious, but very focused, in spite of everything. Janine had educated her well and the constant trips to Scotland helped her focus and learn about her origins. She knew the best -and the worst- of the moroi and human worlds. Some of Janine's cousins were what -she thought once- the typical woman dhampir of a community, with children of several Morois and who sold their bodies and blood in exchange for Moroi bites. Rose knew about the prejudices that followed them everywhere. In Russia, a group of adorable dhampirs -the Belikova women- were treated little more than sluts by the morois. Fortunately, their peers respected them. They were _Lady dhampirs_ -like Janine and Rose- descendants of a Human Royal Lineage, through maternal line.  
#

Instead, Lissa was the perfect moroi Lady. Her family was very small -her grandfather was the Prince, her father, the heir and her elder brother, his heir-, leaving Lissa and her half-sister as alternatives in the event of some catastrophe in the royal line. And that weighed. She could not flirt or to be seen in unworthy attitudes for a young Lady. That was how a relationship began without being ready, with the young Aaron Drozdov, of her same class.

In the year that Lissa turned 15, everything would start to change. It was the year it would be officially presented to Queen Tatiana at the Christmas Ball, at the Moroi Court itself, three years earlier than normal for royals. The same happened with her brother, three years ago. The same would happen to the other girl, probably.

Lissa asked her mother's Guardian to let her go to see Rose, when they stopped in Missoula, while doing some shopping in the mall.

Rose was at her job when she saw a blond blast rush towards her and fall into her arms. The Guardian smiled. Those girls were like sisters.

"I will go to the Christmas dance! I'll be introduced as The Lady Vasilissa", Lissa said nearly without breathing, "I would like you to come with me! What if I ask your mom?".

"Liss, she will not allow me", she whispered, "He... lives in court".

"Who?, Ooooh!, your father! "whispered Lissa "works there or is... or is a royal?".

"He's a courtier".

"Ohhhh!, close to The Queen, right?... Oh my God, don't tell me it's her... lover or something".

"I do not know".

"I will make his life impossible to leave you and your mom' alone!" She said decisively, "Oh, I do not know who he is!", she laughed.

The Christmas Dance of Queen Tatiana was everything promised and more. The presentation of the Misses and Masters -young royals of 15 years, like Lissa- was as planned. The sponsor entered -the father or the mother or the tutor, according to the family that presented them- with the young debutant, they bowed before The Queen, she gave her hand to them and the Prince -or Princess- of the House pass a pin and it was everything. In the case of Lissa, her sponsor was her father and her grandfather would pass the pin.

"Introducing The Lady Vasilisa Dragomir", the herald's high voice reported. As a direct heir to a Prince (her grandfather), she did not use the style of her last name after a Lady courtesy treatment... and she was a Lady at 15, not at 18, as was the normal case.

Lord Eric and his daughter, Vasilisa, approached the Queen and executed the protocol perfectly. He bowed and she deep curtsy, excited. Lissa looked up at her grandfather and then noticed the man sitting diagonally to The Queen's seat.

A tall man, with tanned skin, eyes and hair very dark, so much that looked black. She had never seen a moroi with skin so dark. Then she notice something else and it was frozen for a second. She only knew someone the same, a dhampir and, therefore, had a moroi father: Rose. That was her father!

"Who is it?" She whispered to her father as they returned to their position among the audience.

"Lord Ibrahim Mazur, Lissa, Lord Senescal," he mumbled.

"That name is not royal, right?".

"Not like us, but the Ivannova has always been related to each throne and Lord Mazur is the grandson -and chosen heir- of Princess Senescal Svetlana, who will retire soon... There was much discussion about it but in the end, the law was in his favor and it was...".

"does He had children?".

"Not that we know" he admitted, seriously, "he got married, yes, but his wife did the foolish thing to deceive him, he divorced after the baby she delivered had the wrong DNA".

"What if... he had a hidden child?".

"They would be his heir in the absence of legal heirs".

"That's why... you did not give your name to your other daughter?".

"Her mother did not want to condemn her to be..."

"Result of an affair", Lissa whispered, ending the topic. They never completely forgave him the extramarital adventure that resulted in the birth of his daughter, of whom they did not even know the name.  
#

The trip back to the Lissa Academy was very eventful. Too. At the airport, a Guardian of the Academy went to look for them, but something in the way made them deviate. They were hit by the side and pulled out of the way.

The Guardian of the Academy, the three Dragomir Guardians, plus the two Lord Dragomirs and Lady Dragomir were unconscious. Prince Dragomir died on the spot. Lissa, clinging to her last thread of consciousness, picked up her brother's phone -by her side in the seat- and called Rose's contact number.

"Ro... Rose, they hit us... we're on the way to the Acade... it's dark... they're alive but we will not last in the cold", the call ended when she was unconscious.  
#

Rose received the message in her enabled voicemail. Trying not to panic, she called the Montana's alchemists office, who dealt with the matter quickly, coordinating with the nearest Academy, St. Vladimir.

The machinery of the court took control. Transfer the Dragomir's and the Guardians to their clinic, where they were stabilized and interned for their recovery.

Lissa regained consciousness two days later. She looked around without knowing where she was. A nurse approached her.

"Milady, how do you feel?".

"Beaten... dizzy... what happened?, my brother?, my parents? ... my grandfather?, the Guardians?".

"You... were in a serious traffic accident, Miladi, His Highness Prince Frederick died immediately, I'm sorry for your lost, Miladi; your parents and brother are... stable, Milady, They still don't react, yes... the Guardians will be sent to their homes once they recover... I fear they are too... damage to resume active service for a long time".

The Queen took her under her wing, after the funeral of her grandfather. But she did not spend time with her. She didn't have it and wouldn't dedicate it to a 15-year-old girl who didn't serve her plans politically.  
#

Alone, in an unknown place, Lissa noticed the falsity of the court. The indifferent and almost contemptuous treatment of the female Guardians, the treatment of the dhampirs who were not Guardians and the Guardians in general.

Her return to the Academy was the worst. She observed things she never saw before. She noticed the mistreatment of the novices and harassment towards herself. Totally unbreathable.

If her family did not wake up soon, when she turned 18 she would become Lady Regent Dragomir and she would have to marry some Lord with enough Dragomir blood to take her name. And yes, breed babies as it in breed puppies, of course.

Lissa got tired of everything. She would go with Rose. So she went to talk to the Headmistress and asked her to call the Captain Petrova.  
#

"Captain", she spoke sweetly, putting a lot of compulsion in her voice, "you're going to take me to the mall and going to forget it, right?, you both know that I'm so affected by what happened that ... I retired from the Academy and I went back to court, right?".

Rose was leaving her shift when she saw her sitting, waiting patiently, with some luggage.

"I can not take it anymore, Rose! I ran away!", She cried, "You're not going to have problems with me here, I'll be good, I'll look for a job or whatever".

"What happened, Lissa?".

"It's like they're dead, Rose, I can't stand it anymore... Besides... I do not want to go back to the court or the Academy... snake nests both places!, starting for The Queen and... oh!, Rose, I saw him, at the dance!... you ... oh for God sake, you're very similar to him!... and he's... more than a courtier, she whispered.

"He? My father? Is he a royal?".

"No, yes... I do not know!... it's the Lord Senescal, Rose, Lord Mazur... if something happens to The Queen, he would assume as Prince Regent and if that extends for a year... He would be crowned King for the time she is still alive... and you... you are his heiress, Rose! You could be a princess or a queen!", she saw her sad face and suspected something serious, "Rose?".

"There was an attack on the Appalachians... it's likely... probable," she started crying.

"OOH, Rose!, but you have me, always and forever"  
#


	6. C6 Zmey Interferes

**Chap 6. Zmey Interferes**

Rose got Lissa into her school -with a lot of persuasion- because Lissa were not registered in the school system, so they said that Lissa came from being home-schooled and that Janine was her tutor (Rose said they were distant relatives, or something like that), while Lissa's parents were in the hospital in another State. That was enough,- at the moment- and helped her get a job (a lot more complex, because Lissa did not have papers, the great failure of the Moroi system, in its total isolation) in the same mall where she worked, in a flower shop; something light and delicate, like herself. Basically she had to put together bouquets of different flowers and smile, as the model she looked like. They paid her at the end of a week and she earned extra on Saturdays and Sundays.  
#

With her small salary (luckily, US500 per month) she felt powerful and millionaire. It was her money, hers, not inheritances or trusts. Rose earned something similar in the cafeteria, where her flirting allowed her better tips, in a few days. Money she saved (whenever she could) for college or vacations or gifts or whatever she wanted. Janine always motivated her to be independent with money. And to learn its handling since been a very small girl.

In the normality of humans -school, friends, work- Lissa learned -again- to be happy. No one was pursuing her, harassing her or pretending her hand in marriage or being the image of real perfection. It was only Lissa, Rose's friend, who stayed at her house for a while, because her parents were sick in a hospital, somewhere. It did not cause pity or envy (well, except for her beauty, but she was born with those genes and there were really beautiful human girls that made her gasped at just seeing them).  
#

The end of the academic time at school brought new occupations. Lissa had to give tests on all the classes, to level herself and that implied to Rose helped her to study everything -although she did not recognize it-, it served to improve her own qualifications. Already with Lissa officially enrolled as a student of the school (and without conditionality, as happened with Rose in the first time, who was a european immigrant, born in Scotland, and with legal residence for her mother). Rose and Lissa enrolled in pre-university courses at Montana College (obviously, Lissa's idea, Rose always went to the beach and sunbathed, did water sports and, in the end, had a great time), to occupy their time. Lissa could not be much in the sun or outdoors, so Rose chose to be with her inside. Of course, at dusk they went out to do the things young people do: dance and have fun. Rose had tons of friends all over Montana and were invited to birthdays, 16-year-old parties, and even to be bridesmaid at one or another wedding. The freshness of one and the charm of the other opened doors and hearts. Lissa seemed happy, but inside her soul, she was grieving for the family she believed she would never see again. That brought her closer to Rose, her only pillar and real emotional support.

Sadly, at court, the three Dragomir's showed no improvement. The laws of Succession said that if no one could take the government of a Royal House, a Regent should be appointed. And, as dictated by the law, whoever exercised as a Senescal, took the vacant place as Regent. And yes, the Lord Regent (although technically the role was of the Princess Svetlana, but her grandson exercised the functions in her name) was Ibrahim Mazur, who assumed immediately -and in front of the 11 thrones and The Queen- as Lord Regent Dragomir (He was not a Prince Regent because he did not have a direct quorum).

The memory of Janine hurt his soul, despite the attempt to bury her in the unconscious. Above all, the memory of that baby that could now be his real quorum, dhampir or not. If the baby was his, of course... What if the child were and was out there, alone and homeless, with nothing to eat, or abandoned?, and if Janine had died and left the baby or worse, she would have aborted or lost them in an attack?. The guilt of his actions ate away him. But, really, He didn't know how to correct them. It was not just looking for Janine and demanding DNA from the baby that would already have... 15 or 16 years. Maybe, even, this was already the child of another man. No, Janine (sweet and beautiful and virginal Janie!) Did not deserve it. And he should always live with that guilt.  
#

The Queen did not want Ibrahim to have too much power (more than what he already showed for who he was and who he represented) and she took it upon herself to find the ideal candidate to marry Lissa (and pass the reign Dragomir to her husband, obviously and thus close the issue) and found a good candidate in Lord Ivan Zeklos, a 22-year-old Russian. His great grandmother was the sister of Lissa's great-grandfather, who took the name Dragomir at the time.

Prince Ozera had his own candidate, the young Master Christian Ozera, 16, whose father was a cousin of Lissa's grandmother and great-grandson of a Dragomir princess. As he was under 18, his tutor, Lady Natasha Ozera was called to court. Prince Ozera intended to manipulate the situation and take over the Regency, which Lady Natasha would have only nominally.

Prince Dashkov offered his own cousin, Lord Joseph, 18; whose grandmother was also the cousin of that Princess Dragomir.  
#

Ibrahim narrowed his eyes and analyzed the options presented to him. To marry Lissa with someone -as her power of attorney- meant to transfer control of House Dragomir to her husband or his tutors. He discarded Lord Joseph, with whom he had nothing to negotiate. The young man was simple and flat, had no money of his own and had to work to live comfortably. He sold luxury cars to humans, always richer than the Moroi royals themselves. The only interesting feature of Lord Ivan was his Guardian, Dimitri Belikov, son of Lord Randall Ivashkov (the nephew NOT favorite of The Queen) and that he owed him a favor. And that same Guardian had been the lover of Lady Natasha Ozera, tutor of Master Cristian after the murder of his parents by strigois.

No, none served him, really. He could not manipulate them freely. So he brought the subject to the Council. He had to defend his options and keep this power for as long as possible. Only then the advances and reforms supported by the Dragomir could be carried out. Reforms that he was very interested in and for which he had worked with Frederick and Eric at the time. Reforms that supported both his grandmother and the Emeritus Queen Ekaterina Zeklos.  
#

"Our Vasilissa is too young, Princesses and Princes of the Royal Council, she is not even of age to consent, she is only 15. Let's wait until at least her next birthday, at least. Let the girl adapt to the idea that her family will not come back".

They accepted, for Ibrahim shrewdly made them ashamed to want to sell a girl to a stranger. That sounded almost like child prostitution, right? They would let her grow and reach adulthood before entering the role of wife and princess. Ibrahim would retain control for the remaining years until Vasilisa's coming of age.

#

 _Emeritus_ : Courtesy title given to former King Don Juan Carlos I of Spain. He keeps the title, but his rank is equivalent to that of a Crown Prince, that is to say, with second Preeminence after the current king.  
#


	7. C7 Prince Eric blinked

**Chap 7. Prince Eric blinked**

When the new academic period came around, a new Lissa and a new Rose came around too. Lissa had grown a few inches and gained 5 pounds at that time (unusual for a Moroi of her age), her skin had acquired a nice tan and her hair darkened a bit in the sun. She was as healthy as happy as she could be and turned out to be a very good student -better than in her Academy-. She also had a boyfriend -human, logically- who loved the air she breathed. Her beauty make people follow her with their eyes whenever she was. She had already been offered modeling for youth magazines and the idea excited her tremendously, so both -Rose and Lissa- chose those which morois won't leafing. Rose convinced her to try out for cheerleaders, even though Lissa was hardly active at all. But it would be a way to keep her busy and healthy. Lissa gave the tests and, surprisingly -and without compulsion- managed to be selected. It helped, of course, that she was the best friend of the star player of one of the women's teams and was trained by her and was as light as a feather.

Rose had, what she called, an exotic beauty of the desert. Whenever she was told she was pretty, she mentioned the Turkish father who abandoned her and her beautiful Scottish mother of small stature and curly red hair. Among humans she didn't attract as much attention as she would in the moroi world of an Academy... or in court. The mix between two different physical races created a vibrant young woman, full of energy and very active. She was intelligent -hers was sharp and very disguised- and she had her eyes on various university faculties. She would not be a Guardian like she was a mother, never in her life.  
#

The court was already preparing for the Halloween Dance. It was going to be, as usual, a masked dance on a large scale and with great luxury and ostentation. The highest royals -close to the 12 Royal Thrones- looked forward to the invitations that marked them as the Moroi elite. The commoners with influences, usually bought their invitations, trading favors in exchange for them. It was everything -and always- a game of power.  
#

It was then that something unexpected happened. So unexpected that almost overshadowed the party itself: Prince Eric Dragomir came out of the coma and opened his eyes. Alone, without any medical intervention or any innovative treatment.

The nurse of the neurological area, upon seeing him, ran out of the room screaming and the medical specialists arrived quickly.

"Where ... where am I?"

"The court hospital, Your Highness", replied the chief doctor of the team that attended him.

"My... family ?, our... Guardians?".

"Prince Dragomir, your father, died in the accident... we are deeply sorry for your loss, your wife and son are here, in a coma, Your Highness... Lady Vasilissa is at St. Vladimir... the Guardians were... they are retired, their injuries won't allow them continue in active Guardianship... they were sent to their homes".

"The... Council? Who...?".

"Lord... Mazur", the neurologist cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"I want to talk to him, call him. Now".

"But your Highness, you're just come out of the coma".

"Now, you can check my pulse or my lungs or my toenails later, NOW, is that clear?".

Shortly after, Ibrahim Mazur arrived with all calm and parsimony, without the slightest sign of being affected by the situation.

"Should I ask what you did with my Council Seat, Abe?".

"They were going to marry your daughter, they tried and I protected her from them".

"Excuse me, I think I did not hear well? They were going to what... and with whom! Do I know him, at least?".

"Dashkov's favorite nephew, Lord Joseph; Lord Ivan Zeklos and Master Christian Ozera".

"What?, were they going to marry my child with three men?", He blinked and sighed, "Excuse me, I'm coming out of the coma, I'm still stupid for all the drugs they have given me, then... Lukas's boy?... Lukas and Rhea were cousins... Of course... Zeklos... there are too many of them... but if it is the line of my great-grandfather, then they are closer... the Dashkov that were courting Lady Natalie? That, his mother is... yes... Zeklos, from my great-grandfather's family... But that will stay put, I hope you haven't signed anything with them, or it will be difficult to break".

"I have not allowed a single word of anything".

"I believe it, that keeps you as Regent Dragomir, almost a prince", he smiled, "if you had only one child, our dear Tatiana would already try to manipulate the situation in her favor..."

Ibrahim smiled, fangs visible. "I'll call our girl back, I guess Tati will want her back, sooner than later... although she was fed up with her and sent her back to St. Vlad, in the moment was decent enough to do so".

"Of course, she has no children and her only experience is the two useless nephews and the frivolous Adrian... luckily she did not want to marry him to my Lissa, who is still my heir, if Andre doesn't react", he sighed.

"And the other girl?" Ibrahim suggested tentatively.

"No!" Eric yelled, "she can not, I made a terrible mistake by getting involved with her mother; yes, I admit it, but for nothing I want my daughter thrown to the Moroi wolves".

"Moroi or Dhampir?".

"Dhampir," he sighed. "Her mother is human... she was a dancer in Las Vegas... How stupid of me, right?".

"Everything is good in love and in war, my friend... or in intermediate situations, I'm afraid, at least you... took the consequences to your heart".

"Human or Dhampir?" He blinked, surprised at the revelation.

"Dhampir, the most beautiful I've ever seen," he sighed.  
#

The Queen decided that Vasilissa would go to the Christmas dance, this way she would spend the end of the year holidays in court, with her father recently awakened. And, ideally, she could meet the potential husbands that she selected. And close to the date, she called the Headmistress Kirova. She would not leave the Council Seat in Ibrahim's hands.

"Your... Majesty... Vasilissa... is at court, she was withdrawn soon after arriving" said Headmistress Kirova, confused.

"Headmistress, there is an error, Vasilissa is there".

"She was withdrawn, shortly after the accident, captain Petrova herself escorted her out of the Academy".  
#

A slight change that will add flavor to the plot, Yes!, Jill Mastrano... it's dhampir here. Another _Lady Dhampir_!

#


	8. C8 Where are you, Lissa?

**Chap 8. Where are you, Lissa?**

Both -Headmistress Ellen Kirova and Captain Alberta Petrova- had to fly to court immediately to give explanations personally.

There, in front of the Royal Council -the princes of the 12 Families, Ibrahim and the Queen- and the Captain of the Guard, Hans Croft; both women were interrogated again and again. But nothing came to the surface. They did not remember anything.

Suddenly Lord Adrian Ivashkov approached. He was replacing his father, Prince Nathan Ivashkov (nephew of Queen Tatiana), _traveling_ (sure he was!) in Europe.

"They are under an unbreakable compulsion, aunt," he said to The Queen, "they can not break it, it requires a superior magic".

"Yours?", said Prince Eric, sarcastically, "you have not declared any, right?", he doubted the dissipated young man.

"Mine is different, Your Highness, it's stronger, I'm not handling elements like those present here, but I have other... gifts... And that compulsion is similar to my magic".

"My Lissa has not specialized but can compel very strongly and almost unconsciously", he said, more interest now.

"AH! She's like me, then".

"Adrian, okay fine, let's try it," said the Queen, "anything can be useful at this time".

Adrian stepped in front of the Headmistress and stared into her eyes, drawing her full attention, breaking Lissa's strong compulsion until he heard the mental crack.

"What happened, with Vasilissa Dragomir, Headmistress Kirova", he forced his compulsion into it.

"She... made me called Captain Petrova and told us that... we knew she was being withdrawn from school because of her mental and emotional state", nothing else came out of her. It was evident that she didn't know anything else. She was removed from the room, undone, towards the feeders and to rest.

Adrian forced himself into the Captain Petrova's mind and made his compulsion flow. As Dhampir trained to resist it, it was more difficult, but Adrian knew what he was doing.

"Captain, what happened to Vasilissa Dragomir?".

"She... told me... to drive her to... to... Missoula."

"Missoula? Are you sure, captain?" Prince Eric jumped, "Where in Missoula?".

"To a Mall, but I... I just left her at the door".

"She went to that place before", the prince whispered, "Lissa wanted to see her little friend... do you think my Lissa is with her?".

"What friend? where?", The Captain hesitated, "she didn't say anything to me".

"I do not know, I do not remember", Prince Eric despaired.

"Your Highness, may I?" Lord Adrián asked.

"Go ahead, boy"

"Remember" Lord Adrián concentrated, "everything about your daughter and her friend, the one she went to see to Missoula Mall"

"They always went to see this girl when Rhea and her Guardian traveled to leave Lissa at the Academy... was never in the same place, but always in a mall in Montana, I think... the mother had to work in many places" .

"A... what? gypsy?" Said the queen, with contempt, "Did she have a human friend?".

"No... her mother is... she was a Guardian, Rhea told me she knows about magical wards, she travels teaching about them".

"She was a Guardian where, Your Highness, did you know her as a Guardian? Or did you hear of her?".

"England, we were in England... on the tour with The Queen... she was there with her daughter, they went to the same class, my Lissa and that dhampir girl, the daughter of that Guardian".

"And that girl is now... 16 years?" said Captain Croft, who picked up the phone and dialed, first to one Academy and then to the other, in Scotland. When he hung up, he looked first at Prince Eric, then at The Queen and finally at Ibrahim, who was listening as nothing was new. "Janine Hathaway, sole charge... Ibrahim Mazur, she came to Robert The Brave, pregnant... Milord Mazur?" He hesitated. He had no references that Ibrahim had a third assigned Guardian and a woman, in addition.

"Ibrahim, you know this... Janine Hathaway?" The Queen nearly spats.

"Ah, yes!" He smiled with visible fangs, "a beautiful Scottish dhampir, small height, pretty curly red hair, eyes of a deep chestnut, which in the sun were like the meadows of Scotland, the body of a goddess... we had an intense affair in that Academy, I took her virginity one night -what a night!- and I asked her to be my Guardian, but... there was a disagreement and I let her go... curious... she told me she was pregnant... and that, ah, it was mine, her daughter, of course", his smile was so sinister that even The Queen felt chills at the thought... and all of them with her.

"And as your Guardian, you know how to locate her, I suppose" concluded The Queen, letting go, for the moment, the fact of a possible illegitimate daughter and dhampir of Ibrahim.

"Oh no, I have no idea!"

"Maybe... if I try to make Lady Dragomir to wake up?" Lord Adrian suggested, "I've never done anything like that but..."

"Everything is good in love and in war... and in intermediate situations" Eric said, looking at Ibrahim, who was still smiling. So it was that dhampir he was referring to... the one who had a daughter about Lissa's age... and could potentially be his heiress. Interesting outcome, really.  
#

Meanwhile, in Missoula, Janine Hathaway crossed the door of the apartment she shared with Rose and Lissa stayed.

"Lissa? Did your mother bring you? She did not leave me a message... and her Guardian? We didn't know we need to wait for you", she looked around the apartment, looking for Rose. Surely, she knew she could not take her there, right?.

"There was... there was an accident... everyone... was left in a coma... The Queen named Lord Mazur as Regent Dragomir and is... my legal Guardian... I could not stay!"

"Ibrahim... is your tutor?, and is a Lord, how?".

"He's... the Lord Senescal, without... no quorum... except... except Rosie" she whispered.

"Oh, God, Rosie!"

Rose appeared at the door and ran into her mother's arms, squeezing her thin silhouette between her strong arms. "I thought you were dead!" She shrieked, hysterical, "I thought I would never see you again!".

"You will never be alone, my rose button, if something should happen to me, the alchemists know that they should send you immediately to my mother, only then you will be safe from..."

"He, the Legal Guardian of Lissa" Rose completed, in a whisper.

"Yes, He, your father, Lord Mazur" completed Janine, with a shiver of fear.

#


	9. C9 Rhea answers under pressure

**Chap 9. Rhea answers under pressure**

In court, Ibrahim created a plan to find both girls and told Eric, to trust him in that. He called to court the three suitors chosen by The Queen to be contenders for the hand of Vasilissa in marriage. They were offered a formal courtship in exchange for their collaboration in the search for the young woman.  
#

Lady Natasha Ozera -tutor of Christian Ozera since he was eleven years old- withdrew from the convocatory because she didn't have anything to negotiate with. The young Lord Dashkov didn't have to offer either -he depended on his father's money, now that he had no work- leaving only the young Lord Ivan Zeklos.

"I am a 22 years old, Milord... I am not interested in wooing a girl so young... besides... I am not considered a good... prospect, for past situations", defended himself Lord Ivan, *como gato de espaldas* (see down the page).

"We could reach an agreement" Ibrahim suggested, smiling ominously, "your best Guardian, to trace our dear Vasilissa and, once they find her, we will not touch the subject of courtship again, I'll personally speak to our Queen and she will not consider you as an option for Lady Vasilissa... besides, it's true, 22 years is too much difference with her, she's just a girl and you, a whole man", dragged the words, making him feel more than uncomfortable.

"Dimitri?", He turned to his young Guardian, a dhampir of his own age, as tall as a tower and full of muscles, "you will stay to help His Highness, Prince Eric, and Lord Mazur, the Regent Dragomir; in the search for Lady Vasilissa... and do it fast!... I do not want to marry her! " He whined.  
#

As the young Lord and his Guardian withdrew, the prince turned to Ibrahim. "What was that circus, Abe?".

"Exactly what I planned, Eric, get a good tracking Guardian and show no favoritism in doing so"

"The Guardian of Lord Ivan Zeklos? Why him?".

"St Basil, the best of its alumni, Blood Master 7, believe it or not... and is our Queen's nephew".

"Is... Adrian's brother?".

"Cousin, his father is Lord Randall"

"I guess that information is useful, huh? I say, because you mention it"

"Everything is always useful, Eric, have you not heard of recycling, or reuse or reinvention? I'm a miner, Eric, I dig and dynamite and make data mining my profession... among other things, of course".

"If you say so..." he mumbled.

"A dhampir son is not so well looked at, but if they're a real quorum, the status quo of the Council would be falling apart... and will pain them... Your youngest daughter, Randy's son..."

"And your possible daughter, right?".

"Yes, my friend. I was young, more than you were when you fathered the other girl, I was crazy in love with her, but, obviously, we could not get married, I stupidly believed that she would accept to be... my lover, okay? But my Janie chose another way, that and knowing of her pregnancy filled me with rage, with uncontained anger, and I accepted the proposal to marry Reneé, the rest is public history".

"A Lady Dhampir in the Senescalato... wow! I did not see that coming!".

"Not even me, my friend" he acknowledged.  
#

Janine stayed in Montana -she had many accumulated vacations- to take care of both girls. There was very little left for them to graduate and she wanted to get Rose out of the reach of him. She could not take Lissa, her place was with her family, but she was not yet 17 years old. But she could take Rose. She was her mother and only family. And they would leave just after high school. That... was already talked. Rose would enter St. Andrews or Cambridge or wherever she was not close to Him. There was the matter that Lissa would not turn 18 until after that date. But they would solve it on their way.  
#

Lord Adrian managed to awaken Rhea Dragomir after long attempts combined with science. Rhea was obviously baffled by the long sleep of unconsciousness. Lord Adrian worked intensely with her until her balance was restored.

"Lady Dragomir," Adrián began -seriously speaking with her- "who is Janine Hathaway?".

"A Guardian I met in England"

"Where does the Guardian Janine Hathaway live?".

" I do not know".

"How did you relate to the Guardian Janine Hathaway?".

"Her daughter was in preschool with my daughter Lissa"

"What is the name of Guardian Janine Hathaway's daughter?".

"RoseMarie Hathaway."

"Where does RoseMarie Hathaway live?.

"In Missoula"

"Describe Janine and RoseMarie Hathaway"

"Janine is of short height, with red hair and tight curls, her eyes are brown, but in the light they look green... RoseMarie has a long and beautiful dark hair, almond skin and big dark eyes, she's as beautiful as her mother" she sighed.

"How do you know where RoseMarie Hathaway lives?".

"Lissa was always going to visit her in Montana" she confirmed.

"Where did she visit RoseMarie Hathaway?"

"My Guardian left Lissa in some mall in Montana, but in the last visit it was in a mall in Missoula, always".

"How old are Janine and RoseMarie Hathaway?", Adrián was tying all the ends.

"RoseMarie is months older than Lissa, Janine was 21 years old in England" That was in the information previously received by Captain Croft, who was following the interview very closely.  
#

Rhea was almost avoid of energy after the interrogation under compulsion, but all the pieces fit, at last. Janine was the Guardian whose daughter was Lissa's friend, from preschool in England. And she lived, more than surely, in Missoula. There were, practically, at the gates of the St. Vladimir Academy in Montana. As an intelligent child, Lissa had erased the clues, allowing herself to be invisible before their very noses Since the students of the Academy did not live, normally in Montana, none would see her in the vicinity of the Mall. And the few Guardians who went there would not be looking for her. Intelligent, yes, very intelligent.  
#

Captain Croft assembled a reliable team and gave them clues to start the hunt. The selected ones were the Guardians Dimitri Belikov; Celeste Higgins of St. Vladimir Academy of Montana; Pavel Prokofiev -Ibrahim's primary Guardian, who knew Janine by sight-; Emil Croft, -nephew of the Captain Croft and his right hand man-; and Yury Glazunov, the new Guardian assigned to Prince Eric. They met with the Captain -behind closed doors, only with Eric and Ibrahim as assistants- to receive the dossier of information pertinent to the search. Ibrahim's jet would take them directly to the hangar of the St. Vladimir Academy, from where they would take the vehicles, to start the search in Montana. At least it was not all over the country... or the continent, right? And there were not so many malls.

#

*gato de espaldas*: colloquial words, means someone defending themselves in a desperate way  
#


	10. Cap10 Dimitri

**Chap 10. Dimitri**

Dimitri was not known to Vasilissa -least of all to Rose- so he was entrusted to patrol the mall closest to the St. Vladimir Academy in Montana; common source of location of young people around the girls' age. Celeste -native to Montana and who had lived at the Academy for as long as she could remember- mapped the best common meeting places for young people to visit and divided up the Guardians to patrol them.

Dimitri walked around the mall, when he noticed a beautiful young woman -no more than 18 years old- on the shift at a coffee shop. The beautiful girl was dhampir, with long dark hair. He could not stop looking at her, her beauty seemed to go beyond herself. It was all of her... She was so beautiful in his eyes that it hurt to not look at her.

So he went to ask for a coffee, trying to simply be near her.

"Black coffee, please"

"Name?".

"Dimitri Belikov"

She opened her big eyes and composed herself quickly. "Oh!, Russian?, I met some Belikovas in Russia," she smiled, flirting, and giving him his coffee, "Belikov is the male version"

"Da...", he smiled, "Belikov and Belikova in Russia aren't that weird" he looked into her eyes, taking a sip of it.

"Oh, in Baia they were just them", she let slip, dragging the words. She knew he was a dhampir, obviously... now she knew he was a dhampir... from Russia, what would be the odds of him to be of the same clan of the Belikovas she knew once?.

The cadence of her words reminded Dimitri of the snakes as they moved in the sand. "Yeva or Olena... Belikova?".

"Da! Both!".

"Olena Belikova from Baia is my mother".

"Mitya?" She asked, surprised, really surprised.

"That's what my Babushka always calls me" he smiled.

"Ah, Yeva" whispered the beautiful girl, "how are they and the girls and the little ones?".

"Doing well, the last time I talked to them" he took a sip of his coffee, still looking at her.

"Give them my regards... they were very kind to me" and moved to meet another client.  
#

Dimitri was appalled. Who was the beautiful and mysterious girl? He picked up the phone to call his mother. But the feared Yeva attended. His Babushka.

"Boy?", the sharp woman almost barked.

"Who is the beautiful young woman who traveled to Baia, Babushka?, long dark hair, big dark eyes... I don't remember hearing about her", with her, direct to the subject was the best way.

"She and her mother were in the winter here, about 4 years ago, her mother came to reinforce Baia's magic borders with Oskana and Roza was in St Basil that season... Roza hated the vampire schedule but endured it with dignity...".

"How did I not hear about that?".

"Janine asked us for discretion, she is hired by the Alchemists to ensure the safety of the communities"

"What?".

"This ensures that there are no dhampirs in the human world, they can do nothing to restrain the Morois, but it does restrict the dhampirs from wandering the world, if their communities are safe"

"And why Oksana?".

"She has a very rare magic, Mitya, along with the 4 elements she makes a more lasting protection, that discovery was found by Janine and she took it to the communities, she is recognized and well respected and we hope that Roza will follow her steps, even if it implies having a child -preferably a daughter- for the sake of the Dhampir race..."

"Janine... Hathaway?".

"Janine Hathaway, Milady De Bruce"

"De Bruce?".

"Remember your lessons, boy. The Scottish King Robert The Bruce?, is the ancestor of Queen Victoria, through Mary of Scots"

"Ah, Our ancestor" Dimitri finished.

"Treat them with respect, boy"

"The Dragomir girl is lost and only her friend Rose Hathaway can know her location"

"With respect, boy" and hung up.  
#

The beautiful young girl- yes, the same RoseMarie Hathaway - did not remain quiet either. She called her mother, to report the "sighting"

"Olena's son, is right here, mom" she whispered on the phone.

"The son of Olena from Baia?, There in the cafeteria?".

"He isn't a Guardian of the Academy or to the Badica's... what to do? And Liss?".

"Watch over him and I warn you, do not let him go"

"Mom?". But Janine had already hung up.  
#

Meanwhile, Dimitri made a called to court, to find out who the contact with the Alchemists was. He was transferred directly to Ibrahim. "Janine Hathaway can be located through the Alchemists... She was hired by them, she was even in Baia, with her daughter".

"In Baia, interesting, I was not aware, they kept it a secret, I wonder why. I'm going to call my contacts, and boy... where are you now?".

"The Mall closest to the Academy... I found RoseMarie Hathaway."

"Send me a photograph of her, boy, and continue your surveillance"  
#

Rose approached him a moment later and smiled. Dimitri moved his eyes from his book to her and returned the smile.

"De Bruce, eh? We have the same ancestors"

"Olena?".

"My Babushka... and your mother, where is she now?"

"With me, obviously"

"Roza... I'm looking for a lost girl, moroi, with blond hair and green eyes, 16 years old, do you know where she could be?"

"Vlad or Badica's?"

"What?"

"There is no Moroi near Montana, that I have seen... the girl must be either one or the other, right?".

"Oh, yes, of course!" He realized, "the Academy of St Vladimir, in effect... why don't you go there? you're Dhampir, you should be in training".

"Why should I? What have they done for me? My mother was abandoned at 18, without money, without the help she needed and with me in her belly... she went ahead alone, without Moroi help, without anything, despised for not aborting me"

"Do you know any moroi, Roza, someone worth fighting or defending?".

"Dying, you mean?".  
#

Janine arrived at the end of the conversation. Dimitri looked at the petite Scotswoman without dissimulation and smiled gallantly. "Guardian Hathaway, I suppose ...", he nodded. It was as Rhea described it. Short height, curly red hair. Brown eyes... And yes, beautiful.

"Janine is fine... Dimitri Belikov, huh? You look a lot like Olena, how is your mother and grandmother? I have not been able to visit them again".

"All right, thank you... 4 years ago... I started as Lord Ivan Zeklos' Guardian... I regret not meeting you then"

"What are you doing here, then? Are you no longer serving that Lord?".

"I'm on loan... a girl, daughter of prince Dragomir, was lost, her last location was in her Academy... she came to this place a lot, it's logical to start here... the prince and his wife got injured and they have finally recovered the coma they were in... Lord André is still... unconscious... they are anxious for their daughter..."

"Is that true? Lady Dragomir is alive?" Janine whispered.  
#

Dimitri picked up his phone and dialed to Lady Dragomir and handed it to Janine, speechless.

"Yes?", The fragile voice of Rhea Dragomir was barely audible.

"It's Janine Hathaway"

"Janine!, do you know where my daughter is?".

"She's safe, with Rose and myself, obviously"

"Thank God! You can send her with Guardian Belikov, Janine, please?".

"I'll see what we can do"

"Thank you!".

"I'll wait for you in the afternoon" Janine looked at Dimitri as she handed him his phone.

"Mom!".

"They're her family, Rosie, they'll keep her safe... or so I hope, right?".

"Yes, with Prince Eric already out of danger, his daughter is under his care and if not, Lord Mazur will continue as her legal Guardian... in either of the two ways, The Queen will not be able to marry her to anyone"

"Marry Liss... by force... at age 16?, and they want her back there!" Rose jumped.

"No, Roza, Lord Mazur stopped that idea, but Lady Vasilissa must return with her family, to her mother and father"

"Come on, Rose" Janine said sharply, "we should talk to Lissa... 7pm, Dimitri"

"The address?".

"Ohhh, you are the Guardians, you can find out, right?" she smiled.

#


	11. C11 Zmey smiles sinisterly

**Chap 11. Zmey smiles sinisterly**

Lissa took it well after hearing everything. She decided to go with Dimitri and the other Guardians -when they went for her- and begged Janine and Rose to accompany her, but Janine would not risk Rose in the moroi court.  
#

At 6:30 p.m. sharp, the Guardians were already at the door of Janine and Rose, as Janine supposed, and had everything ready to receive them. She made them pass and forced them to sit down and refused to call them Guardians plus their surname, so Dimitri introduced them, one by one; but Pavel already knew her, from Scotland.

"Pavel Prokofiev, I should have guessed, he does not make a stitch without a thread" Janine muttered.

You're still the same beautiful woman, Janine" he greeted.

"Honey tongue, always so polite... she's my daughter, RoseMarie and he's Pavel, Those Zmey's Lord Guardian" she said sarcastically.  
#

Pavel never had any doubts about the paternity of Janine's daughter. Not when he knew she was pregnant then and now there was the living proof. RoseMarie was the perfect mix between Janine and Ibrahim, the result was a beautiful and strong young woman. A breath of fresh air in the heat of the desert that was the Moroi world. And he knew that both Ibrahim and his family would be feeling happy to meet her. Finally.

"We want for you to come with us to court" said Dimitri, without preamble.

"No!" Rose jumped, "I have class, my place is with my mother, not there, like wallpaper, I will never be a wallpaper... of that Zmey or anybody else".

"You look a lot like your father and I see that your character also resembles him" said Pavel, smiling.

"NO, I have not a... father, Guardian... of that Lord One, he abandoned my mother and me, is that what do you call a father?, surely he has a trophy wife and parasitic children".

"You are his daughter, without a doubt, his only daughter, RoseMarie"

" I'm ROSE, my name is Rose, like Rosseane, my beautiful Scottish grandmother, is that clear?"

"And Marie who is?" he Hesitated a minute and smiled, "Lady Marie, right?, Ibrahim's grandmother, who also raised him... oh, Janine, it's so obvious'', he took Rose's hand, in which glittered the Nazar ring.

"My name is Rose" Rose hissed, surprising him with the venom in her voice. But not took the ring out. Was like a talisman to her.  
#

Lissa seemed very thoughtful -oblivious to everything, apparently- and suddenly her eyes widened. "It's true! We still have classes this year... we can not leave, I can not miss the school year like that... I want to see my family but... but..."

"You can transfer your classes back to St. Vladimir or to the court, Milady" Yury suggested.

"But it's not the same! I always thought it was, but with Rose I discovered that I would not... I can never go to a real college if I follow a Moroi curriculum!"

"But you are moroi" Celeste reminded her.

"But it's not the same, is it? We despise humans and dhampirs, but their worlds are richer than ours"

"Now I understand" said Emil, "I never understood but now I do, because Lady Dragomir insisted that Milady Lissa visit Rose... now I see... that equanimity, that ability to see others, is that right? Rose changed Lady Lissa, changed her for the better, made her more... "

"Human" Dimitri finished.  
#

Dimitri called court as soon as they left the meeting. He reported, first, to Captain Croft and then to Prince Eric and Lord Mazur.

Finally, an agreement was reached. The prince and Lady Dragomir would travel with Captains Croft and Petrova to meet Lissa and the Hathaways. That instead of dragging them to court. And Ibrahim would wait to meet them behind closed doors, in a nearby hotel.  
#

In a neutral place -a pleasant restaurant on the outskirts of Missoula- the two parties met at last. The meeting between Lissa and her family was very emotional. Lady Dragomir repeatedly thanked Janine and Rose for taking her under his protection and making her a wonderful young woman.

Captain Petrova offered both -mother and daughter -a place at St. Vladimir, but both, as kindly as possible, rejected it. Janine worked with the Alchemists and Rose did not want to know anything about the Guardians. And the mere idea of a vampire schedule caused her migraines or vomits.

"The Guardians number has gone down so much" Dimitri began, "and losing someone with so much potential is... inconceivable, Rose"

"And it's my problem that the moroi treat the dhampirs women as prostitutes, so much so that if one of them has a child, she can not remain a Guardian... how do you think we are born?, by spores?, I have a dhampir mother. I'm Dhampir, but I do not owe them more than a sperm of attention in time to that moroi..." she said, without contempt "how long did he last, Mom?, 5 minutes? That sounds too much for a moroi, and I will not sacrifice my life as a wallpaper for those 5 minutes... I took care of Lissa when they did not, now, consider it as payment for those 5 minutes".  
#

They looked at each other and laughed. They could not believe it. Who was that girl? That character was not ideal for a Guardian, more in an activist. But it was refreshing. It would be very refreshing to hear her say something like that in front of all the moroi mommies, especially the real ones.  
#

At another table, Ibrahim smiled, sinisterly. He recognized her character -Janine's-, but also his own, in that beautiful Dhampir girl. Although the 5 minutes sounded like an insult, some of Janine's repertoire. In that, he noticed, she lacked subtlety to say it... And it was not 5 minutes!, but that was another topic. That beautiful zmeyette was his daughter and he could not feel more proud, he did not even have a shadow of a doubt. She would be a magnificent Senescal. He did not want to overshadow her character, wanted to polish her and turned her into a powerful woman. The first Senescal dhampir. A new force, worthy of consideration.

#


	12. C12 A Blood Mess

**Chap 12. A Bloody Mess**

"We'll let you finish this school year here in Missoula", Prince Eric told Lissa, "we would love to have you with us, obviously, but we can not pull you out of the nest you've grown up in. At the end of classes, we'll come for you, my daughter... And we'll see if you wish to return to St. Vladimir or not for the next period"

"But Your Highness...", began Captain Alberta Petrova.

"Captain", interrupted Rhea, "our daughter was abused by her peers, she fled to protect herself and was protected by Janine and Rose. I do not think St Vladimir is right for her, not right now. Rose and Janine are the best thing that has happened to her... Eric and I... we want her to be happy, and if it is not in the Academy, it will be with Rose, here".

At the end, they agreed that a group of Guardians of the Academy will come to protect Lissa, so that she could continue for that period in Missoula. They asked for the youngest -ideally, just graduates of 17 or 18- for not to be so visible in the midst of a world of teens and children. If they had to mix, they should look like normal young people, not stalkers or serial psychopaths.  
#

Then came the unwanted meeting between Ibrahim, Janine and Rose. Janine knew that it must happen and Rose was willing to hear him, that was it. Her mother had loved him -that told her, at least- and she was a product of that love. The meeting would be at a hotel, the Edge Bridge Hilton (intimate, Ibrahim Mazur would say), at lunchtime, in a reserved room. Not too neutral, apparently. Janine and Rose were picked up by Pavel and Sergei -Guardians of Ibrahim- and taken to the hotel, where they were taken to the room reserved for the difficult conversation that would come. Both wore pants and ballerina shoes, but they were the least... casual as possible. Janine knew that the hotel would be anything but intimate.

At the door, they were greeted by Ibrahim himself, with impeccable host manners. And a blinding white 3-piece suit, with a shirt the color of his eyes... and gold rings in both of his ears.

"I am Ibrahim Mazur", he introduced himself to her, "Lord Senescal of the Moroi Kingdom and your father... Please come and sit...", he approached the table and took two huge and beautiful bouquets of flowers, passing them to both of his girls. "I must say, Janie, that you're still the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, I said it the night I took your virginity away and I'm holding it now"

"Ibrahim!" Janine was shocked, flushing more than her red hair, taking a seat at the table.

"What?, have you never told our beautiful offspring that was me?, and it was not 5 minutes, I clarify", he winked at Rose.  
#

Lunch only had polite comments. Rose replied, almost always in monosyllables, while inhaling her food. It was far, the most delicious thing she had tasted. Janine and Rose were decent cooks -Lissa barely knew how to do some things- but that food was superb. Already after the dessert, -where Rose tried four types of cakes- she left her cutlery with perfect manners -Janine had educated her well in that aspect- and then she turned directly to Ibrahim.

"Thanks for my lunch... Well?"

"I was young and prejudiced, as an heir of my grandmother, the Princess Senescal Svetlana Ivanova, she expected a lot from me... and I abused that power I had... I accept it... When Janine called me from Scotland... the engage to Lady Renee Szelsky -niece of Princess Ariana-, had already been agreed... "

" But... you ended things with Reneé", Janine hesitated, "that's why you took me to the dance and..."

"Yes, we were finished, but I did not know that Princess Ariana almost offered her, -with dowry and everything- and I was engaged in marriage to her" He sighed and turned back to Rose, taking her hand in his, the same skin color. "I wanted your mother with me, but she could never be my wife... When Renée gave birth to that child -blue-eyed and pale- I suspected that he was not mine and it was not, so I immediately divorced. at 20 I was filled with bitterness. But now, what does it matter? You are my daughter and my heiress and you will be a magnificent Lady Senescal, Princess and even Queen Regent. We will take care of that"

"What if I do not want to, if I'm not interested in having to do with you or them?".

"You are in your right mind of not to want it, but don't throw away what I offer because of your resentment towards me. You can achieve great things, kizim. You can be as high as a queen, because the Senescal be at the same level as the one who carries the Crown. The first Senescal Dhampir... can you imagine?"

"I don't see it possible, they will avoid it"

"That is the beauty of their own obsolete laws. The legitimate child is who inherits, it does not indicate whether they are a moroi or a dhampir, I already claimed my right over you as a father and you will enter the court as Lady RoseMary Hathaway-Mazur, our daughter, our heiress. Not simply as the friend and company of Lady Vasilisa Dragomir, but with a dhampir with the power to change the world" he smiled.

"They will not accept it, they don't like the change" Rose insisted.

"If Tati doesn't accept it, she will have to resign and call a new election, she would lose not only her title, but the power of the Ivashkov Family".

"Come again?".

"12 royal houses and a queen -or king-, but it's not the reality. 12 real houses, a queen or king and the Senescal, who functions as the queen's or king's par. The Queen makes the decisions with the Senescal... With me, if my grandmother is not at court, and you are my direct quorum, if something happens to me, you will be the Lady Senescal and The Queen must make the decisions with you".

"What if she makes me kill?".

"It is magnicide, Rose and she must resign... and be judged for that... and she will pay for it in Tarasov, for life... The Ivanovas, my grandmother's family, were the first royal family, when there was only one woman left, Princess Ivanka -who could not rule by herself, at that time- married a Lord Dragomir and reigned together. Their sons were Dragomir's and their daughters, Dragomir-Ivannova. Since then, the Ivannovas are Senescal -Regents, in case of-. My Grandmother, the Senescal Princess, named me -a man and without the name Ivannova, but with the correct blood- and not my mother, so as not to allow my father to take control of the Senescal Throne".

"Is there more Mazur? more that can take your place and mine?".

"Ivannova, you mean?, yes, my grandmother and my mother are alive. My grandmother had 3 marriages, the first two for convenience, and from the last one, my mother was born... Her first husband -when she was just barely an adult- a Lord Ivashkov, died in an attack with their two children, a boy and a girl. Her second husband, a Lord Tarus, died at the hands of her own daughter, who went crazy and was sent to Tarasov... the poor girl had a very rare type of magic and drove her crazy from the inside, her power overflowing as she caught her father with her human lover -his feeder- and she... she made him suffocated with his own air magic. With Her two daughters -the ones that counted-, out of the game; my grandmother remarried and this time with a commoner, playboy, rich and handsome one; -my grandfather- from which my mother was born, and as usual, by tradition, my mother got the name of Ivannova -like her older sisters, Jane and Marcella- and not like her other half brothers, all are Lords Tarus. When My grandmother chose me was a great surprise. They thought that she would choose my mother as Lady Senescal, but because of her marriage to my father, -The Pacha Mustafa Mazur- she skipped her. And now I have a daughter who can succeed me, over the daughters of my uncles Tarus".

"SO is not always a woman?".

"For Princess Ivanka Ivannova, in her honor, it is always -that's is possible- the Senescal a woman. It's funny, but only women are allowed to keep the name of the lineage... And now, Rose, they should raise me as Prince Senescal when my grandmother finally retires and you will be Lady Rose until you succeed me as Lady Senescal or Princess Senescal, taking the name of Ivannova... Her Royal Highness, Princess Ivanova, RoseMarie Hathaway-Mazur... beautiful, isn't it?".

"And what will you offer me in exchange for the sacrifice?".

"What do you want?".

"I will decide what is good for me, I will not marry -or mated or breed with- who they say, I will not sleep with anyone they said, and I will not study where they say. I am not your grandmother. I am Rose and I will accept the Mazur or Ivannova or whatever if they follow my rules... I'm a dhampir, no a royal moroi. I'll make my own destiny".

"Of course, I have just arrived in your life, I have no right to demand anything from you".

"And... if you court someone it will be with my consent, I do not want any Cinderella or Snow White's stepmother... Better still if you want to start courting my mother formally now... that... I could accept it. As a token of my acceptance to your cause".

"Rose!" Janine was scandalized, flushing brutally.

"Mom, I've seen the doe eyes that he gave you all night, and you to him; you're still like each other, it's so obvious!, so if you want to french kiss like teenagers all over there, it will be with my consent... Besides... present yourself as single father and single mother after snogging and groping the other is not styled... with us, Royalty".

#

EdgeBridge Hilton is a hotel in the Montana area.

#


End file.
